When the Ridgecrest Chamber of Commerce doled out recognitions at its 2013 Community Awards Dinner on Saturday, it bestowed a rare honor to two local leaders.

The Chamber recognized Capt. Dennis Lazar, commanding officer of Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, and his wife Shannon Lazar with the Honor America award for their leadership in the community.

Lazar took the helm of NAWS China Lake in January 2012 and since then has taken steps to expand on an already stable relationship with the community.

Peggy Breeden, owner of the Swap Sheet, was on hand to bequeath the award to the Lazars, noting the efforts the two had done in enhancing the community.

Breeden recounted setting up a community tea party at one time and how Shannon Lazar helped turn it into a good event.

“Shannon gives to the community over and over and I have never seen someone who has given so unselfishly,” Breeden said.

Breeden added that Dennis Lazar had done wonders connecting the base with the community, including participating in the Chamber's Follies Fundraiser event.

“This man knows how to make a fool of himself to benefit the community,” Breeden said. “He brought the base out to the community and brought us to the base. He believes in the community.”

Capt. Lazar called the honor humbling.

“We feel we are doing just what we should be doing,” Lazar said upon accepting the award. “The base and the community are such a solid China Lake team and we want to do everything we can every day to foster that relationship.”

Lazar said that it was something that they would continue to do.

“We feel blessed,” added Shannon Lazar.

Following the awards ceremony, Dennis Lazar said the recognition of him and his wife had been an honor, but he had been at a loss for words on how to accept.

“I'm usually the one giving the awards, not getting them,” Lazar said.

However, he said there was a reason he and Shannon were there for a reason.

“The reason is to take good care of the base and by extension do everything we can to help out the community as much as possible,” Lazar said. “Those two entities are so intertwined, so we feel we're doing what we were called to be doing.”

Lazar said that the community had welcomed him and his wife with open arms upon taking command of China Lake.

“That really resonated well with us because we were kind of the newbies, kind of poking around to see what was going on,” Lazar said. “People were so overwhelmingly friendly and supportive of the base.”

Page 2 of 2 - Lazar called the presence in Ridgecrest a blessing.

“We made a lot of good friends and they are wonderful people,” Lazar said. “We love getting out and about in this community and when we leave it will be bittersweet for sure.”